Natalie Sakurai

About Natalie Sakurai

Watch Natalie's Conversations With Artists Video Here

Statement

I’ve been working with some other local artist collaborators on a new project called "Breaking Through".

This collaborative investigation is an inquiry regarding the “Glass Ceiling”. Is it still a relevant metaphor for how women are treated in the workplace today? Has the definition changed over time to include the loss of fundamental rights? What will it take to “break the glass ceiling”? 

 

Overview:

The glass ceiling is a complicated thing. Turns out women have been reaching the highest levels in many fields for some time. The ceiling appears to have been cracked and broken in many places around the world, but our idea of the ceiling and its strength hasn’t changed. This is probably because many women are still earning a fraction of what men in the same positions earn, with women of color earning even less, proving that those biases still exist. What would it take to “break the glass ceiling” completely - and is that possible?

Does this idea of “The Glass Ceiling”, first coined by author and activist Marilyn Loden in 1978, still only refer to women being held back in the workplace, or has it actually expanded in general use to refer to women being held back in other aspects of life. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, allowing many states to ban abortion and other forms of reproductive healthcare, there has been a clear attempt to hold women back in a very basic way, with women of color being more at risk. Is this part of “the ceiling” as well?

My Collaborators:

Amy Vidra

Erin Kaczkowski

Heather Hogan

Ianna Nova Frisby

Muzi Li Rowe

 

Bio

Natalie Sakurai is best known for her kiln-formed glass and mixed media work that examines themes of isolation and belonging. Whether it’s exploring the link between autism and social media, or the inherent biases through which we all view the world, her work reflects the complexity of social dynamics in the 21st century.

Sakurai’s award-winning work has been shown in juried and invitational exhibitions throughout California and beyond. Her work is in private collections throughout the US. She holds degrees in art studio and interior design, as well as a teaching credential in visual art. Raised in New York, she currently lives and works in Sacramento, California.